


Restored

by ToughPaperRound



Series: Season 3b [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Related, Coda, Episode: s03e19 Aku Cinta Kamu, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 07:13:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18586366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToughPaperRound/pseuds/ToughPaperRound
Summary: In which Alec admits what he chose to do to get Magnus’ powers restored… and then the Institute urgently needs the services of a powerful Warlock. Coda of sorts to s3ep19.There are canon-typical levels of angst (sky high then) but it IS resolved in one chapter, not 4 episodes thank you very much.





	Restored

**Author's Note:**

> Many Thanks to bytheangell for the speedy beta.
> 
> Hello to Mansikka for when they finally read this after the final shows air on 7th of May *hands over vodka and boxes of tissues*

 

Jace lands in the Institute corridor as if he were chaff, discarded.

He struggles to his feet and looks back to where the portal has just closed and everyone can see that he looks defeated. Devastation. He has talked about losing Clary so many times but now it has finally happened. He can no longer convince himself that she is a Double Agent, making a play.

Now he has no future with her. No further avenues to explore to save her. Even this last move was far more risky than he had dared admit to his Parabatai.

 

Alec is asking what happened. What went wrong. All Jace can feel is…

“I lost her.”

 

Luke growls, “No!!!” He darts forward to grasp at Jace and turn him away from the portal site, to look him in the eyes, to shake him and get his attention.

“What do you mean, is she… Is she dead?”

“No,” Jace admits.

“Then what, man, tell me what happened. Please!”

Another shake of his shoulders and Jace looked up into Luke's eyes until both flinched from the pain visible there. “She…” Jace began, “she discovered some of our plan and she…” A deep breath, “...she struck me down and banished me back here. She wants to help Jonathan and keep him safe. She wants that monster more than anything I can give her.”

“Surely that can't be true,” demanded Alec.

“Yeah, Alec is that right? True love wins out over all, does it? Really?” Alec flinched hard as Jace spun to stare him down, “or is it more true to say that, sometimes, life just doesn't go the way you want it to?”

Alec had no words for Jace, but he held out his arms and moved in to take him into a tight hold. Jace's words caused him anguish, but he had to overcome that. The overwhelming pain between their bonded souls forced him to overcome that anguish. Once again, Jace was hitting out at those he loved most because he was in pain. Alec could do nothing else but hold him tight, hold him still.

 

***

 

“By the Angel, there must be something we can do. I won't stand by until we've tried everything!” Izzy prowling the ops centre, glares at all the distraught faces.

Luke matches her glare, and demands that all available tactical staff join them at the planning console to work to solve this. “Jace! Now is the time to help Clary. And to help save us all from whatever that demon sword can do in the wrong hands. We need you to breathe, to come here and tell us all exactly what happened. What do you know about their plans?”

Alec and Jace turn to the table and walk as one. Alec stands silently next to his brother. Staunch. Ready to support his brother in any way he can. Izzy stands opposite them, eager to hear details that could give them an edge, refusing to believe that Jace's defeatist assessment was the whole truth.

 

***

 

So you're saying that they managed to storm the Seelie Elite Guard and kidnap the Queen?

“That's unheard of!”

“And next?” demands Luke, “Jace! Next! What did they plan from there?”

“Arggh, they would only tell me the barest of details, I was filled in on a need to know basis,” says Jace, “but… I do think I know where they are going next. We can confirm it if Clary still has the Seelie ring.”

“We'll need a warlock to track that,” advises Underhill.

“Let's get real here. We're gonna need a warlock to join us for the attack force, aswell, and not just for portals,” adds Luke.

“If only Warlock Bane still had his incredible powers,” muses Underhill, temporarily thoughtless of Alec's pain.

“Who else could we persuade to join us?” queries Simon. “Is Catarina Loss as strong a warlock? What about Lorenzo Rey?”

“No!” exclaims Alec in horror at the latter name. “That excuse of a ‘High Warlock’ is not capable to stand up to this task.”

“Warlock Loss is strong,” Alec continues, trying to be calmer, “but her speciality is healing. We should ask her for her opinions, yes....” - now Alec is pacing and muttering to himself. “But Magnus should have had his powers restored to him by now… it's a lot to ask of him, but for his Biscuit he may… But no! I can't ask that of him…”

“Alec what are you saying? Powers restored? Ask what of him?” queries Izzy.

 

“Yes. Magnus is going to have his powers restored,” confirms Alec. He speaks unusually quietly, almost as if he doesn't want anyone to hear him.

 

Underhill, Simon and Luke all speak at once:

"What?!!”

“That's amazing!”

“How?”

"How do you know that?”

 

Alec stares blindly around the group until his eyes land on Izzy's sympathetic expression. “I know that, because,” Alec falters and tries again, straightening his shoulders. “I know that, because I made a deal. Magnus was to have his powers restored as part of that deal.”

“Alec you aren't making sense, who could have the power to restore Magnus’ magic?” questions Luke.

“He is making sense, but I hate it. Alec, you didn't. Tell me it's not true?” Jace is begging.

“Alec please?”

Alec looks over to his Parabatai who had felt his pain just as clearly as he had felt his determination, “It is true, Jace. It's what had to be done.”

Izzy slaps at Alec's chest. “You stupid selfless idiot, you're serious? You actually broke up with him? You gave up your happiness together to get his powers restored?”

“His powers, his immortality, his life. Yes. And I hope I would do it again if it was needed.”

“Raziel preserve us. Well! So what can we do with this knowledge?” demands Luke, bursting through the siblings’ anguish to bring the planning back to order. “Clary needs us to move, and now!!”

“I say we ask Magnus to help us. His powers are incredible and it'll be the last thing Jonathan expects,” suggests Jace.

They agree that Luke is to make the call to Magnus. It certainly can't be Alec, they understand that.

It takes three tries and a begging fire message from Izzy but eventually Magnus answers. He agrees, for Biscuit's sake, after hearing Luke's desperation as he explained the situation.

 

***

 

“So, we are agreed on the battle plan, and we are confident that we have contingencies in place, yes?” Alec asks the group to confirm after a brief conclave to get Magnus fully up to speed and settle on a plan.

“We will have no Clave backup, as the kill order is still in place. We know the New York Werewolf pack are too few to be able to send help, but the Vampire Clan may send a few additional members to support Simon. Together they should help counter Jonathan's enhanced speed.”

“Cat is already on her way and other warlocks are to meet here soon,” confirms Magnus.

“Izzy has the sword completed, and intel about the Seelie response has helped pinpoint the location. We know, however, that Seelies will not trust any others when it comes to a rescue attempt so we can expect no support there. No obstruction, either,” continues Jace.

Magnus looks around at the group. He can only bear to make eye contact briefly with Luke. Now that the group are almost set to go, he speaks slowly and clearly.

“I have a question. How did you know that my powers were returned? Asmodeus just returned them this afternoon and the only person I've told is Je-… is Brother Zachariah.”

Izzy gently answers his questions, putting her hand on his forearm with more hesitancy than he'd ever seen from her. “Alec. Alec told us that your powers were restored, Magnus.”

Magnus jerks his head up and across the planning console to glare at Alec, who is standing with his arms braced on the tabletop as if desperate to get started and move the attack force out.

“He WHAT?” shouts Magnus. He doesn't know what to call the emotions he's experiencing. Anger, disbelief, stunned shock, confusion… and then…

“Alexander. Alexander?”

Alec slowly raises his sightline to reach Magnus’ chin. He doesn't dare meet his eyes.

“Alexander.” Heartbreakingly soft, Magnus questions Alec further but he feels sure he knows the answer to his question. Perhaps he has known since that Halloween night in the bookshop. It was always true that Alec couldn’t be this selfish. “Pray, tell me how you knew that my powers were to be restored? My father told me that there was no price for their return, but…”

"That's not true, no,” admits Alec. He tries to distract, changing the subject, “but the full detail is not something that need concern you, right now we need to-”

“I will decide what does or does not NEED to concern me, Alexander,” storms Magnus. “The details. Now.”

“Yes, okay. I knew that your powers were restored, because,” Alec falters and tries yet again, straightening his shoulders. “I knew that, because I made a deal. Your powers and immortality were to be restored as part of that deal.”

Magnus’ eyes flashed with lightning and his hands flexed with instinctive readiness to express his anger.

“It was made very clear to me that you should not find out about this deal, Magnus. I can't speak further. I won't risk it.”

Magnus knows who the deal-maker was. He knows it in his bones. “Alexander. What did you give up to the Prince of Hell? Much more than your bow & quiver this time, I'll wager.”

Alec is refusing to answer, he stares at the tabletop, his arms crossed.

“Alexander?” repeats Magnus, more quietly still, though his Warlock eyes flash with pain. “Was it me? Was it us?”

Izzy and Jace gasp whilst Luke and Simon look appalled. Alec flinches and tries to say that he cannot confirm anything.

Grimly, sounding almost calm to the casual observer, Magnus interrupts, “Alexander, such a choice was not yours alone to make!”

Alec's eyes remain locked on the tabletop, arms holding his chest tight. Magnus’ cold face softens as he finally sees the pain that the choice also caused Alec. He sees the stupid selfless act for what it is, now.

He still hates it to the core.

But maybe, in time, they can work out how to put this right.

Izzy stands up for Alec, “He did it to help you, so you could heal. He has always been so stubbornly selfless like that, you know this, Magnus. It's one of the things we all love him for, yes?”

 

“So now what?” asks Alec after the room goes quiet, risking a glance up at Magnus.

“So now… We move out!” exclaims Magnus, his blue magic sparkling at his fingertips. “Look to, Alexander! Get your team ready. A portal to the site will open in 60 seconds.”

 

 

A bannered post about this work can be found [on Tumblr](https://toughpaperround.tumblr.com/post/184415714018/my-malec-fic-which-continues-a-series-of-additions) if you would like to share or engage there   <3

 

**Author's Note:**

> Out-take (from Blooper Reel, next part of this series)
> 
>  
> 
> “So now what?” asks Alec after the room goes quiet, risking a glance up at Magnus.
> 
> “So now… We move out!” exclaims Magnus, his blue magic sparkling at his fingertips. “Pretty Boy! Get your team ready. A portal to the si-”
> 
> “What?!!”  
> “Phsseeeah!”  
> *snort*
> 
>  
> 
> “CUT! Yes, Magnus, that was hilarious but we're gonna use the earlier take. Thankyou everyone! That's a wrap.”


End file.
